James c



J. G. SNOW.

FOLDING TABLE.

(No Model.)

Patented Sept. 13, 1892.

' diiarney WJZJVESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES C. SNOW, OF BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGN OR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM J. BARRIOKMAN, OF SAME PLACE.

FOLDING TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 482,701, dated September 13, 1892.

Application filed March 5 1892. Serial No. 423,909. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES C. SNOW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Butler, in the county of Butler and State of Pennsyl- Vania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Tables; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has relation to improvements in folding tables; and it has for its objects, first, to provide such atable of an exceedingly cheap and simple construction adapted for general kitchen use, and, second, to provide a table embodying a construction adapted to be compactly folded and laid away when not in use.

To the attainment of the foregoing objects the invention consists in the peculiar construction, certain novel combinations, and the adaptation of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims appended.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of my improved table ready for use. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same with the auxiliary leaf folded down. Fig. 3 is an elevation of that end of the table having the auxiliary leaf, the said leaf being shown in its horizontal position. Fig. 4. is an elevation of the opposite end of the table; and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the table folded up, such views being takenfrom the opposite side to that shown in Fig. 1.

In the said drawings similar letters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, referring to which A indicates the top of my improved table, which is preferably of a general rectangular form and of the proportional size illustrated.

B B indicate theinwardly-foldingsupporting-legs of the table, which are respectively connected together adjacent to their upper ends by transverse strips 0, and are flexibly connected, as by the hinges D, to the under side of the top A, adjacent to the ends thereof, whereby it will be readily perceived that they are adapted to be folded in under the said top.

Pivotally connected at one end to the legs 13 at about the elevation illustrated is a shelf E, which is provided at its opposite end with angular corner recesses or notches F, which embrace the legs B and serve to guide the free end of the shelf to its place when the table is opened or unfolded, as well as to allow the said free end of the shelf to rest in the same vertical plane as the outer transverse sides of the legs 13' when the shelf is in its horizontal position, for a purpose presently described.

Fixedly connected to the under side of the top A", at or adjacent to the ends thereof, are transverse ledges G G, which are designed more especially to brace the legs 13 B and to reinforce the hinges D when said legs are in their upright position.

Suitably connected to the outer side of a transverse strip connecting the legs B and depending therefrom is ,a latch H, which is shouldered adjacent to its lower end and is beveled on its inside from said end to its shoulder for the engagement of the free end of the shelf E, which it serves to securely hold in its horizontal or operative position.

By the provision of the latch II in conjunction with the ledges G G, the hinged supporting-legs, the shelf, and the angular recesses or notches .in the corners of the free end thereof it will be perceived that when the free end of the shelf is engaged by the shoulder of the said latch H the legs will be firmly locked in their upright position and the table will be rendered very strong and rigid.

Flexibly connected, as by the hinges I, to the outer transverse sides of the legs B, adjacent to the upper ends thereof, is the auxiliaryleaf J, which is preferably of about. the proportional size illustrated and is designed to be folded down upon the legs B before said legs are folded in toward the top A.

Pivotally or flexibly connected to the under side of the leafJ at an intermediate point in the length thereof are the ends of an angular bail K, to the transverse portion of which are pivotally connected the straps. M, which are also pivotally connected to the legs B, and serve in conjunction with the bail K to support and lock the leaf J in its horizontal position, such parts acting as a toggle, by the use of which when the action is reversed the leaf is raised slightly above the horizonwill be perceived that when it is desired to fold the leaf down against the legs it is simply necessary to pull or press the straps lWI outwardly from the legs, when said straps and the bail will assume the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Pivotally connected at one end to one of the legs B, adjacent to the upper end thereof, isa brace-bar L, which is detachably connected, as by the hook a, to the shelf E, and serves to render said shelf and the table more rigid when in its upright or operative position.

Pivotally connected to the edges of the shelf E, adjacent to the free end thereof, are hooks b, which are designed to engage the eyes 0, carried by the legs B, when the table is in its upright position, to assist the latch H in supporting the free end of the said shelf E.

When it is desired to fold the table, the leaf J is first folded down, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, after which the hooks a and b and the latch H are disengaged and the free end of the shelf E is allowed to swing downwardly. The legs B are then swung inwardly against the under side of the top A and the shelf E, legs B, and theleaf J are fold ed against the said legs B, when the table may be stood up or laid in a small space.

Although I have specifically described the construction and relative arrangement of the several elements of my improved table, yet I do not desire to be confined to the same, as such changes or modifications may be made as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patcut, is

1. In a folding table, the combination, with a top and pairs of legs hinged to the under side of the top, of a shelf hinged at one end to one pair of legs and alatch consisting of a depending strip notched near the lower end, adapted to engage the fore end of the shelf and hold the same in a horizontal position, as set forth.

2. In a folding table substantially as described, the combination, with the top and the pair of legs B B flexibly connected to the under side of the top and having the transverse connecting-strips at their upper ends, of the shelf pivotally connected at one end to one pair of legs and having angular recesses or notches in thecorners of its opposite end to engage the other pair of legs, and the latch connected to the transverse strip of the legs B and having a shoulder adjacent to its lower end and its inner side beveled from said end to the shoulder, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a folding table substantially as described, the combination, with the top and the pairs of legs flexibly connected to the under side of the top, of the shelf pivotally connected at one end to one pair of legs, a latch adapted to engage the free end of the shelf and hold the same in its horizontal position, the auxiliary leaf hinged to one pair of legs, the angular bail pivotally connected at its ends to the under side of said leaf, and the straps pivotally connected to the transverse portion of the bail and to the pair of legs, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof Iaffix my signaturei presence of two witnesses.

JAMES C. SNOW.

Witnesses:

A. M. OHRIsTLEY, E. E. ABRAMS. 

